Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies: The Recipe


1197996834Now that last week’s warm weather has given way to snow-covered streets, we’re back to craving carbs. Forget eating healthier in ’08: we want Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies.

Chowder reader Ashley asked for the recipe, and we’re happy to oblige.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (10 oz.) jar maraschino cherries, juice drained and reserved, cherries halved
16oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and soda. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add dry ingredients to creamed mixture; beat until well blended.

(Ed. note: I typically wrap the dough in some wax paper and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so to make it easier to handle in later stages. It’s not necessary, but it makes life easier.)

Roll dough into 1-inch balls; put on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down center of dough with thumb. Set a cherry half in the center of each cookie. In small saucepan combine chocolate chops and sweetened condensed milk; heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover (frosting may be thinned with additional cherry juice, if necessary.) Bake about 10 minutes or until done. Remove to wire rack; cool. Makes 48 cookies.

(Ed. note: Yeah, right. I scoop dough with a liberal hand and get a little more than half that. But those who can show restraint will be fine.)

Enjoy, snow-bound cookie bakers.